The Fairest Of Them All
by Faelyn Woods
Summary: "One taste of the Poison Apple and the victim's eyes will close forever in the Sleeping Death. Dip the apple in the brew. Let the Sleeping Death seep through. On the skin, the symbol of what lies within. Now turn red to tempt the victim, to make her hunger for a bite. When she breaks the tender peel, her breath will still, her blood congeal."
1. Chapter 1

_So...I decided to rewrite my story completely, and there will be_ a lot _of changes. Enjoy!_

 _Disclaimer: Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima. Lilith Mara and Rose are original characters._

* * *

 **The Fairest Of Them All**

 _ **Chapter 1: Escape from the Heartfilia Konzern**_

* * *

A month ago, she would have screamed her lungs out if she felt something furry brush against her ankle. Today, she barely even flinched.

She would have retched at the putrid scent of sweat, urine, and blood. Now, if someone were to compare it to some fancy perfume, she wouldn't know the difference.

At first, she had cried herself to sleep during the loneliest of nights, but she eventually learned that her tears are in vain.

Her old life was such a distant memory, though it couldn't have been more than three weeks ago...

She heard them before she saw them coming.

Desperate shrieks rang through the hall. Lucy turned her head slightly when the door to the small room was flung open, nearly bursting it off its hinges. Light spilled into the dark room as the two figures walked in, laughing heartily about something and dragging a person behind them.

The young girl couldn't have been more than fifteen. She was in hysterics, her arms flailing wildly as she tried to escape. She was digging her heels into the hard-stone floor, but it did little to stop their advancement. Many of Lucy's fellow cellmates were also watching the scene unfold.

Lucy met the other girl's eyes briefly. Ignoring the silent plea from the other girl, she ducked her head, the thick curtain of her bangs falling across her eyes, hiding her grim expression.

A loud bang from another room surprised the men, and the girl took advantage of their distraction to break free from their grasp.

She'd made it to the doorway, her hand grasping the handle of the wooden door, but before she could open it, she was pulled backwards violently by her hair. The girl shrieked in pain as a chunk of hair was pulled from her scalp.

She was dragged back into the dark room and thrown into the cell next to Lucy's. The young girl laid sprawled out on the floor, and she refused to look at the unconscious body lying in a heap next to her, which, as Lucy had noticed before, had begun smelling increasingly foul with the passing days.

Lucy watched silently through the bars as the new girl cradled her head between her knees, trying to lessen the stinging pain.

This would be the fifth one since she became an occupant herself, Lucy noted.

That night, they all fell asleep to the cries of the new girl filling the otherwise silent room, occasionally punctuated by a hacking cough.

Soon, she would learn to truly accept the helplessness of her situation, the same way they did. Then silence would resume again. No one bothered to comfort her as she sang her sad song, as so many had done before her.

Several girls still hoped that someone would come. That _someone_ would save them. Not Lucy, though. Because no matter how much power her father might hold, he would still fail. Even if he tore the entire continent apart searching for her, he would never find her.

No one was coming, and no one will ever save them.

* * *

 _ **Three weeks earlier...**_

Lucy looked elegant and graceful as she glided down the hallway with her head held high and her hands folded properly. However, nobody noticed how much her hands were shaking, or that her pace slowed as she got closer to the last door in the hall.

She turned her head and caught the eye of the servant who was walking behind her, but the maid quickly lowered her gaze. Sighing, the blonde rapped her knuckles against the wooden door and turned the handle without waiting for any response.

Jude Heartfilia didn't so much as look up from his work when she stepped into the room, his eyes trained instead on his quill as it flew across the many papers spread out across his desk. Lucy waited for him to say something, but he seemed to be completely engrossed in his work. She cleared her throat awkwardly, her hands balling into nervous fists at her sides.

"Um...I was just coming to say goodnight, Father," she said in what she hoped was a confident voice, looking directly at him.

His only response was the sound of a quill scratching on paper. The blonde felt her cheeks heat up in anger, and she rushed out of the room, the maid following and closing the door behind them with a soft click.

When they got to her quarters, the servant didn't dare utter a single word to her, silently drawing her bath and laying out her sleepwear. The only moment the maid showed a hint of expression was when Lucy whispered a tiny _thank you_ to her, and she only bowed her head with a tight-lipped smile.

The blonde dismissed her afterwards, and the servant quickly scampered out the door. Even from the bathroom, Lucy heard the mechanism click as the maid locked the door, a new rule her father had set the week before.

She went through her normal routine, enjoying the silence and hating it at the same time.

* * *

Inside the mansion, there wasn't a single sound aside from the rhythmic ticking of the clocks. One would have easily concluded that the house was deserted, but that was not the case.

Lucy shifted in her bed, adjusting the silk covers around her. The distant clacking of dress shoes caught her attention and she turned onto her side, facing away from her bedroom door. As the footsteps grew closer, she squeezed her eyes shut, pretending to sleep. She had never been more grateful that her canopy bed had swaths of ornate pink cloth hanging in between the four posts, hiding her from view.

Light spilled into the room when someone turned the brass handle of her quarters, the wood creaking noisily. The blonde's heart thumped wildly in her chest, and she willed herself to take calm, steady breaths.

The intruder slowly inched towards her, and she stiffened slightly. She heard the rustling of fabric as they pulled the bed curtains aside.

Her hands balled into nervous fists like they always did whenever she was in the same room as her father, though he didn't notice, or just simply didn't care.

He stood in silence for a while, his intense stare practically burning holes into the back of her head. He suddenly moved, reaching out a hand towards her, but he thought better of it and returned his hand to his side. He let the fabric fall back down into place and retreated out of the room, locking the door once more behind him.

She opened her eyes again, turning back onto her other side, waiting. Soon after, the mansion was filled with the sound of melodic chimes, signalling that it was officially midnight.

Lucy sat up as quickly and as quietly as possible, and threw off her covers. Instead of her usual nightgown, she was fully dressed in the most casual clothes she owned.

She reached under the bed, her hand patting empty space until she found what she was looking for. She pulled out a small valise, filled with only her absolute necessities, and placed it gently beside her chamber door.

Her bare feet padded across the floor of her quarters, walking towards her wardrobe. She opened one of the many compartments, revealing rows upon rows of every shoe imaginable. She dismissed the heels immediately, her chocolate brown eyes landing on a pair of brown leather boots. She slid them on, lacing them up and kicking the drawer shut.

Her fingers delicately traced the pieces of clothing hanging from the racks before they landed on a simple, velvet, black cloak, which she fastened around her neck.

She tip-toed back towards the exit, the moon acting as her only source of light. As always, her celestial keys were nestled safely in a pouch clipped to her belt.

She shifted impatiently from foot to foot, letting out a huge exhale when she heard the jangling of keys on the other side of the door and watched as it opened to reveal that the hallway was now dark.

Ms. Spetto's face was illuminated by the small candle she was holding, and she let out a small squeak of surprise when she saw Lucy beaming at her.

The older woman put a finger to her lips and swung open the door further, motioning for the blonde to step into the hallway.

They moved at a fast pace, and both women kept turning to look over their shoulders to see if they were being followed. Once they had ducked into one of the servant halls and were stumbling down a winding staircase, Ms. Spetto finally spoke up.

"I arrived a bit later than expected. I apologize, Miss Lucy. I hadn't expected your father to have guards posted in the hallways." the woman spat out in a frantic whisper.

They pushed through a poorly constructed door, arriving in the dining room, and the blonde didn't get a chance to respond. It was pitch-black, and if it wasn't for Ms. Spetto guiding the way, Lucy would've been knocking into things left and right.

Relying on the candle's light and keeping one hand against the wall, the girl quickly shuffled past two doors, arriving in the kitchen. Back when her mother was alive and when she'd been allowed to freely roam the mansion as she pleased, she'd loved to explore the servant halls. Her memories of the kitchen were rather hazy since she hadn't been past the double doors in more than eight years, but she still had a basic idea of the layout.

At the back of the room, in the centre of the wall, a large brick fireplace was home to a roaring fire. It cast an eerie glow around it, allowing them to see the pots and pans hanging from the ceiling, the stoves and sinks lining the right wall, and a long wooden counter in the very middle of the room littered, which was littered with an assortment of knives and spices on its surface.

Ms. Spetto unlocked the door next to the fireplace, leading them to the back of the house.

"I'm sorry, but this was the most jewels I could find," she said sadly, fishing a small pouch from her apron pocket and handing it to Lucy.

"This is more than enough. Thank you, Ms. Spetto." the girl said, gratitude shining in her chocolate eyes.

"I have a friend who owes me a favour. He should be waiting around the outskirts of the town. He agreed, by carriage, to take you as far away from here as possible." the woman said, gently pushing the blonde out the door.

Lucy gave the woman one last bone-crushing hug before she set off, waving over her shoulder. Ms. Spetto waved back, smiling and using her apron to wipe away her tears.

"Stay safe," she whispered, watching as the girl dashed across the manicured lawn, far away from her father's imprisonment.

* * *

 _Please review!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima. Lilith Mara and Rose are original characters._

* * *

 **The Fairest Of Them All**

 _ **Chapter 2: Runaway**_

* * *

The carriage travelled at a fast pace, the horses' hooves stomping on the muddy roads. The dirty rainwater splashed onto the townspeople walking down the stone paths, but the animals finally skidded to a stop in front of a gigantic house. It was a few moments before a skinny young man jumped down from his seat and hurriedly opened one of the side doors.

Taking the hand that was offered to her, a woman with auburn hair and impossibly blue eyes gently stepped out onto the ground, frowning when she felt the mud squelch under her boots.

The young man bowed to her, and she tore her hand out of his grip with a small nod.

"Have the carriage ready when I return. This shouldn't take too long." she sniffed.

"Of course, Mrs. Mara." He bowed once more.

"Thank you, Jerry." the woman said quickly.

The man nodded, climbing back into the carriage.

The woman turned away from the carriage and took a few steps towards the front gate. Behind her, she heard the crack of reins and the sound of her horses galloping away.

She gave the oak doors three clear raps, clasping her hands together and waiting patiently to be welcomed inside the house.

" _Just a moment, please!_ " someone yelled from inside.

The doors swung open, and an old man greeted her with a polite nod. She returned it, taking a step through the doorway.

"Welcome, Mrs. Mara. I was asked to take you to the gardens. The other ladies have already arrived." he said, motioning for her to follow him.

They passed through two more sets of doors before arriving outside. On the grounds, the woman took her time admiring the many beautiful flowers.

In the very centre of the gardens, several women sat seated around a table, laughing and gossiping.

"Lilith!" a smiling brunette cried, standing up from her seat. Her hair was twisted into an elegant bun beneath her hat. "Come sit!"

"Hello, Cecilia." the woman, Lilith, said. She moved towards the table, taking a seat next to the brunette and greeting each of the women in turn.

"Oh! It's been so long since we've seen each other. How have you been?" Cecilia cried, her smile growing even wider.

She pointed towards a teapot, and the other woman nodded. Taking a clean teacup and placing it on a saucer, she gently poured some of the hot liquid and passed it to Lilith.

"I've been quite well, thank you for asking. The family business keeps expanding, and I'm hoping to find Brennan a bride soon. Honestly, though, I'm not all that worried about him. I am very proud of him, and I'm sure he'll choose a fine young woman to marry." the redhead said, smiling at her friend and taking a sip from her cup.

"Speaking of young women, have you heard about Jude Heartfilia's daughter?" Amelia, one of the women, spoke casually.

"Jude Heartfilia? He has a daughter?" Lilith asked coolly, taking another sip from her cup and grabbing a sandwich from a platter.

"Yes, and I hear she's a beauty, too. My husband and I met with Jude the other day to discuss an arranged marriage between his daughter and my Jacob."

"Is that so? I seem to recall that Jude married _Layla_. Did you see her while you were there? How is she?" she asked with a fake smile, though the other woman didn't notice.

"I wouldn't know. Mrs. Heartfilia passed away many years ago."

"Oh? How...unfortunate." Lilith said simply.

"Yes, how very unfortunate indeed. Didn't you know Jude Heartfilia, Lilith?" Cecilia asked innocently.

The woman in question froze, taking a moment school her features before answering.

"Yes. Before I took over the family business, my father thought it'd be a good experience for me to work at a non-Mage merchant guild. That's where I met Jude. We were actually very good... _friends_." she said the last part with a slight twinge of anger in her eyes.

"Really? I imagine you're not in contact with each other anymore."

"No, we're not. He left the guild very suddenly one day, and we never spoke again," she said.

"Oh. I see." the woman spoke awkwardly.

"Enough about Jude Heartfilia! Have you heard the news? The ladies around town have been saying that..."

Cecilia filled in the silence quickly, changing the topic. The women engaged in a lively conversation after that. Though Lilith stayed silent through most of it.

She took one last sip from her cup before placing it down on the saucer, a plan already forming in her head.

* * *

When she marched down the path, as ordered before, Jerry was waiting patiently at the front gate. He bowed to her in greeting, offering her a hand to help.

"Back to the mansion, Mrs. Mara?" he asked.

She nodded, hoisting herself up.

"And I need you to send out a job request to all the Black Guilds in Fiore." the woman commanded, settling into the plush seat.

"Of course, Mrs. Mara. Is there anything else I can do for you?" the man asked. The woman paused, her lips pursed in thought.

"Yes. I'd like you to find out some information on Lucy Heartfilia. I want the folder placed on my desk by tomorrow."

"As you wish," he said, carefully closing the door.

* * *

"Excuse me?" Lucy turned towards the voice, her shoulders tensing slightly.

The boy standing in the aisle couldn't have been more than a few years older than herself, and the girl blinked in surprise when she saw a small blue cat standing next to him. The boy cleared his throat, tugging uncomfortably at the scarf around his neck, a frown on his face.

"Are these seats taken?" the blue cat asked, and the blonde's eyes widened.

"Er…no," she said, never taking her eyes off the talking animal.

The boy huffed, throwing his bags onto the seat in front of Lucy and plopping down, crossing his arms unhappily. His cat climbed onto the spot facing him, glancing around the train.

"There are many more people today," he said, more to himself than to his two companions.

The boy grunted, running a hand through his salmon coloured hair. The cat's eyes landed on Lucy and he smiled at her.

"My name is Happy! And the boy next to you is Natsu," he introduced, and the girl nodded, grinning back at him.

"Lucy," she said, shaking hands with Happy.

Natsu said nothing, his onyx eyes trained on the family sitting across the aisle from them. Happy sighed, looking apologetic as he spoke to the blonde.

"Sorry about him. He's just really grumpy because he hates the train."

Lucy nodded again, using the armrest to steady herself when the train lurched forward, starting towards their first destination.

The pink-haired boy beside her groaned, clamping a hand over his mouth, his face a sick shade of green.

* * *

"-and then he and Gray screamed like little girls!" Lucy cackled, tears in her eyes as she tried to contain her laughter.

"It wasn't that funny…" Natsu mumbled, wrapping his arms around his stomach.

The train skidded to a stop, the conductor's voice blaring through the speakers. " _Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached our stop in Hargeon. Please proceed to the exits and enjoy your trip!_ "

The blonde grabbed her suitcase, squeezing past Natsu and waving happily at the two, making her way down the aisle.

"Bye! Good luck finding Igneel!" she called.

* * *

The streets of Hargeon were relatively deserted as the few passers-by sloshed through puddles, umbrellas held high in the air. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary as everyone minded their own business. No one batted an eye at the figure darting down the sidewalk, the hood of her cloak pulled tightly over her head and hiding her face.

Lucy slowly stilled to a complete stop, shooting into an alleyway. Her suitcase clattered noisily when it hit the wall, and she silently cursed. Soon after, three guards strolled passed, talking loudly and completely oblivious.

She watched their every move as they walked away, but didn't pay much attention to their conversation.

When they eventually moved out of sight, she let out the breath she'd been holding and left her hiding place, continuing on her way at a quicker pace than before. Blonde hair was stuck to her forehead, but she didn't seem to notice as she finally arrived at her destination.

* * *

"That was her, wasn't it?" one of the guards asked, pointing to where the blonde had been hiding.

The second one nodded. "She matches the description perfectly."

"Mrs. Mara will be very pleased."

* * *

Seeing the _Open_ sign stuck to the window, Lucy pushed open the creaky, old door. The little bell hanging in the doorway tinkled lightly, alerting the shopkeeper of her presence.

"Just a minute!" a voice sang from the back room, hidden by a purple curtain.

Lucy's shoes squeaked noisily as she walked around the shop, stopping from time to time to examine an object or a book that caught her eye. She flinched in surprise when she turned towards the checkout counter and found an old man staring back at her with a small smile.

"Welcome to my shop! Are you looking for anything in particular, miss?"

The blonde smiled awkwardly, tearing her gaze away from his nose, which resembled a pig's snout.

"Not really. I'm just looking around."

The old man nodded, his pointy, dark green hat nearly slipping off his bald head. He grabbed the cane that had been leaning against the wall and started walking back towards the back room.

"Actually," Lucy began, prompting him to turn back to her. "I was wondering where I could find the other magic shops in town."

Though she didn't have many jewels- and every single bill had to be spent wisely- she still found it important to acquire as many new Gatekeys as she could in order to practice her magic.

The shop owner shook his head, a happy smile still plastered on his face. "There are no other magic shops in Hargeon."

The blonde pouted, highly disappointed, and turned around to inspect a few items placed on an old bookshelf. From the corner of her eye, something glittered, and her face brightened when she realized what it was.

Grabbing the key of the White Doggy, she eagerly rushed towards the counter.

"I'd like to buy this," she said, slapping down some jewel bills.

* * *

A fire crackled in the background.

Lilith sat straight-backed in a chair, her reading glasses delicately perched on her nose, wearing a serious expression. A man stood in front of her, his henchmen standing in the shadows behind him. They were ready to defend their boss if it became necessary. A folder filled with various documents was laid out on the oak desk, the face of a young blonde heiress smiling up at them from the first page.

"So, Lilith," the man began, "let me see if I've got this right: You want me to find this girl, and then you want me to kill her?"

The woman huffed. "I want you to get rid of her. Do whatever you want, just make sure that Jude Heartfilia never sees his child ever again."

He nodded, looking towards the large map of Fiore framed on the study's back wall.

"Do you happen to have any idea where she might have gone?" he asked.

"All I know is that she left the Heartfilia Konzern on May 5th. I had someone question all the members of the staff at the mansion, and after a lot of... _persuading_ ," She struggled to find the right word, though the man thought that "torture" would've been much more fitting. "We learned that a man had taken her out of town by carriage. The man seems to have disappeared, though, so we have no way of knowing where he took her."

The man sucked his teeth, his eyes narrowing in thought. "That isn't enough information. You said you want this done as soon as possible, but I'd have to search all of Ishgar to find her. She could be anywhere."

The woman smiled evilly, picking through the folder and tossing him a paper. It was a picture of a cloaked figure dashing into a store. Although he couldn't see the person's face, a strand of blonde hair immediately caught his attention.

"You forget that I have eyes everywhere, young man. According to my source, the girl in the picture is the exact match to our girl. This was taken yesterday, in Hargeon Port." she said, leaning back in her chair.

"Hargeon is nearly five hours away by train. I'm honoured that you requested me personally, Lilith, but it doesn't seem like it's worth it," he said, crossing his arms.

"I'm prepared to offer you a reward of 100,000,000 jewels if you do this mission right."

Her blue eyes showed no hint of humour, so he knew she was entirely serious.

He gulped, uncrossing his arms and looking back at his henchmen. The two men stared at him eagerly and silently pleaded with him to accept the offer.

"Well, do we have a deal, Mr. Bora?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.

He grinned. "Definitely."

* * *

"Are you sure about this, Happy?" a pink-haired boy asked his cat.

"Yup! I can only think of Igneel when I hear The Dragon of Fire. This 'Salamander' is definitely him!" The boy nodded along to the cat's words.

"But if it is Igneel, then why hasn't he come to see us yet? We've been going to every one of his meet 'n' greets in Hargeon this week, but we can never get close to him."

Happy sighed. "Those fangirls really are crazy. They wouldn't even let us pass!"

Hearing distant screams of _'Salamander!',_ the pink-haired boy smiled.

"Well, today's the day, Happy! I can feel it!" he said, rushing into the crowd.

* * *

"Salamander! Over here!"

" _Are you sure this will work, boss?"_

"Absolutely. It's worked before, so why shouldn't it work now? This girl could bring us millions of jewels, not to mention the reward money," the "boss" communicated telepathically.

"Please sign this, Mr. Salamander!"

The "Salamander" gladly did as he was told, enjoying being the centre of attention. "Ladies, ladies, you're too kind," he said, smiling at them.

" _If you say so... Boss! There's a strange man with pink hair who's trying to push through the crowd!"_

He turned to his right, where several girls were squealing. Cries of "Let me through!" could be heard in the ruckus.

"It's fine. I'll deal with him later." He waved off the person's concern.

"Salamander, you're so dreamy." He laughed at the girl's compliment, giving her a charming wink.

" _Boss, she's here."_ He looked up at the person who'd spoken to him. They were standing on the bridge, and they pointed to a girl in the crowd.

Bora glanced over to where they were pointing, and he smirked when he saw the blushing face of Lucy Heartfilia. "Well, well, well. How nice of you to join me, Miss Heartfilia," he whispered.


	3. Chapter 2,5

_Disclaimer: Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima. Lilith Mara and Rose are original characters._

* * *

 **The Fairest** **Of Them All**

 _ **Chapter 2.5: Lilith and Jude**_

* * *

The young woman shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot, biting her lip nervously. Her father and her mother sat together on the couch, their expressions dark and serious.

"Lilith," her father said, speaking in a patient tone, as though explaining something to a two-year-old. "You must understand that as the heir to the company, you can't afford to waste your time with games. You're eighteen now."

Her mother nodded along to his words, looking disgustedly at the riding equipment strewn across the floor. "I agree with your father. A young lady should not be racing through the forest with the village boys. _Especially_ not a lady of your status. You should be learning how to crochet, or draw, or play the piano."

"And that is precisely why your mother and I have decided that some time away from the Estate would be beneficial for you and the company," Mr. Mara finished.

The girl's bright blue eyes filled with tears, though she refused to cry in front of her parents. "You're going to send me away?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes, honey. But only because you've been stuck in this little town since you were young, and we think you should see what the outside world looks like," her mother explained, crossing her legs elegantly.

"Well, where would you send me?" she asked, anger quickly replacing her sadness.

"We want you to go to a non-Mage merchant guild in Acalypha," her father answered. He got up, his wife quickly doing the same.

"You should have the maids pack your suitcases soon. You leave in a week," he said, exiting her chambers with her mother following behind him.

* * *

Lilith clutched her briefcase tightly as she surveyed the building, taking in the design. A sign sat on top of the doors, _Love & Lucky _written on the wood, the letters glinting in the sunlight.

She took a deep breath, pushing through the doors.

She was instantly hit by the smell of paper and ink, and she was surprised by the voices echoing through the room. The sound of quills scratching against parchment and people typing at their stations did little to calm her nerves. No one seemed to notice the new arrival.

A receptionist sat in the centre of it all, a typewriter sitting in front of her as she worked. Lilith slowly approached her, clearing her throat awkwardly when the woman didn't look up.

Startled, the receptionist gave the girl a bright smile. "Hello! Sorry, I didn't see you before. As you can see, we're quite busy," she said, gesturing to the guild members sitting at their desks.

"Of course. I'm truly sorry if I scared you," the redhead apologized.

"That's fine. Anyways, what can I do for you?" the woman asked.

"Well, I would like to join your guild. I was told that my father had arranged for it?"

"Really? Would you happen to be Lilith Mara?"

"Actually, yes. That would be me." The girl was startled when the receptionist jumped up from her seat and shook her hand vigorously.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lilith! My name is Edith. I'm so glad that you decided to join our guild. Welcome!" she said all in one breath.

Edith grabbed her hand, dragging her to the back of the room, where a desk sat in the corner with stacks upon stacks of paper piled on top of it. Edith pointed at the stacks of paper, then added another large stack to the pile, already beginning to walk away. The pile was nearly as tall as her.

"The guild is quite big, as you've surely noticed. I'll give you a complete tour soon. You've already been assigned some work. It's quite simple, and your father told me that you should be able to do it on your own. When you're done, there's more!" she sang the last part as she sauntered away.

The redhead watched the pile of work sadly before taking a seat at her new desk. She began to empty her briefcase, pulling out several quills, a bottle of ink, and some parchment paper. She was startled when Edith ran back to her, out of breath yet still full of energy.

"Oh! I almost forget to tell you that the coffee machine is in the back, so you can help yourself whenever you want!"

* * *

" _How long am I supposed to stay at the guild?" Lilith asked her father, handing yet another suitcase to her maid._

 _The servant wheezed under the weight of it but didn't say a single word as they shuffled out of the room. Her father clasped his hands behind his back and furrowed his eyebrows._

" _You'll be there for quite a while. Unless there is a family emergency, you should be working there until you take over the company."_

 _The girl sighed, smoothing out her skirt and leaving her chambers._

* * *

"So you're the new girl Edith was talking about?" Lilith looked up to find a boy towering over her.

Feeling slightly intimidated, she sat straight-backed in her chair and jutted out her chin. "Yes."

Her cheeks warmed when his obsidian eyes slowly travelled down the length of her body before landing back on her face. She cleared her throat, trying her best to glare at him.

"Is there something I can help you with?" she hissed.

The boy shook his head. He was around the same age as her, with short blond hair and broad shoulders. He placed down a steaming mug on her desk, gently sliding the coffee towards her.

The redhead was surprised when he thrust a hand in her face. "My name is Jude. My desk is right next to yours." He jabbed his thumb at the desk on her left.

She hesitantly shook the warm, calloused hand that was offered to her. "L-Lilith Mara."

Jude smiled, and Lilith noticed that the corners of his eyes crinkled as he did so. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lilith. I hope we can be good friends."

* * *

"I'm so sorry, but I'm not interested." Layla apologized, hooking her arm through Lilith's and tugging her away from the café.

The redhead looked back at the shocked boy and sighed. "What was wrong with that one?" she asked, taking a sip from her cup.

"There wasn't anything _wrong_ with him. I just wasn't interested."

"Then who are you interested in?"

"I'm not interested in anybody! We can't all be madly in love with Jude, you know," Layla teased.

Lilith's cheeks flamed. "Shhh! Shut up before someone hears you!" she said, looking over her shoulder.

"You really should tell him how you feel one of these days," the blonde said, suddenly serious.

"I know, I know."

"I'm serious, Lilith! Look at you!" she continued, motioning to the girl's face. "You're a gorgeous, single nineteen-year-old!"

"What if he rejects me? He's my best friend, Layla. Our friendship will never be the same."

"But what if he feels the same way? He's seen you at your best times, and your worst. He knows you better than anyone. He _likes_ hanging out with you and wants to be around you. I've seen the way he looks at you, you know."

"That was an inspiring speech, but I'm not sure if I want to take that risk."

"He's not going to be single forever. Someday, we're all going to leave the guild to live our own lives, and we'll all eventually lose contact. You have to be the one to take the first step," Layla muttered sadly.

The girls fell silent when they pushed through the guild doors, sitting down in their seats. Jude smiled up at them when Lilith placed a bag of pastries on his desk.

"Thank, Lili. You're the best," he said, already reaching into the bag.

The girl smiled back at him weakly, Layla's words echoing in her head.

* * *

"Are you all right, Lili? You've been acting strange," Jude asked casually, placing the last of the plates on the dish rack.

Lilith tensed, turning a page in her book and pointedly avoiding her friend's gaze. "Everything is fine."

She heard soft footsteps pad towards her, and her blue eyes widened when they met Jude's soft gaze. "No, everything is not fine. You've barely said five words to me since you can back from the café with Layla."

The redhead snapped her book shut, ducking past him and running to the kitchen. "I'm thirsty. Do you want something to drink?" she asked, desperately trying to change the subject. She grabbed two mugs from the cupboard without waiting for his answer.

Her whole body went rigid when she felt two warm hands clamp over her shoulders and turn her around. She clutched the two mugs tightly against her stomach, afraid she'd drop them.

"You know you can tell me anything, right? I'm here for you." Jude looked slightly panicked and incredibly worried.

He looked at her with such concern, and care shined through his eyes that she found that, no matter how much she wanted to, she just couldn't look away. There were standing extremely close, and she could practically see her flushed face reflected in his obsidian gaze.

Impulsively, the girl stood up on her tippy-toes and pressed her lips to his.

The kiss was gentle and warm, and Lilith felt her heart skip a beat when his hands slipped to her forearms. She'd had countless fantasies of their first kiss, but none of them compared to the real thing. She felt like she was floating, and she started kissing him harder.

Her eyes, which had closed during the kiss, snapped open when the boy pushed her away. He looked embarrassed, and he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.

"Lilith…" he started hesitantly. Suddenly aware of what she'd just done, she slammed the mugs back on the counter loudly.

"I'm so sorry! I really shouldn't have done that," she said, hurriedly grabbing her coat and purse and rushing out of his apartment.

She turned into an alleyway between his building and a store, sliding down the wall and crouching down on the ground. She knocked her head against the brick wall, cursing herself for her stupidity.

She stayed in the alleyway for what felt like an eternity, unsure of what to do next and hoping that Jude would come to find her and tell her that he felt the same way.

He didn't chase after her, and she woke up alone three hours later.

* * *

"Listen, Lilith, can we talk?" Jude asked, cornering her at the guild doors. The redhead looked down at her shoes and nodded.

He grabbed onto her wrist, leading her into an empty room in the guild and closing the door behind him. She stumbled into the room, her foot catching on the edge of the rug.

Lilith clutched the handle of her briefcase, afraid to look at him. She felt him struggle with what to say to her, and they stood in silence for a while.

"You've been avoiding me," he said. The girl didn't bother to deny it and kept silent.

She heard him let out a loud sigh, and she didn't have to know that he was running a hand through his hair like he always did whenever he was nervous. "Look, Lilith, you're my best friend," he began. She felt a pang in her chest at his words, and she was tempted to make a mad dash out the door and back to her apartment.

This was the conversation she'd been dreading for the past two weeks. It was the reason why she'd been avoiding him like the plague.

"You're the kind of person I want to have by my side for as long as I live. You support me in everything that I do, and I really appreciate that." He made two tentative steps towards her, and when she didn't move, he exhaled and moved slightly closer.

She pursed her lips and stubbornly refused to look him in the eye. "I've never had many close friends, so I am really sorry if I did something to make you think that I liked you in a romantic sense. I just wanted to tell you that I'm really, really, really sorry, but I just don't think of you that way." He seemed to have finished his speech because all that followed was tense silence.

Her heart plummeted straight down to her stomach, and she felt horribly embarrassed. She felt like screaming at Jude, but she knew that he didn't deserve her anger. It wasn't his fault if he didn't feel the same way as she did. The sudden image of her parents telling her that strong businesswomen always handled everything with grace popped into her head, and she cleared her throat.

"I understand," Lilith finally said, her shoulders shaking and her eyes welling up with tears.

She stepped around him and grabbed the door handle, wanting to leave the room before he could see her cry. A warm hand wrapped around her wrist, and she froze in place.

"We can still be friends, can't we?" he asked, sounding worried.

The redhead turned away from him and wrenched her wrist out of his grip. She turned the handle and pushed open the door, calling over her shoulder, "No, I don't think we can." Before walking away and leaving a shocked Jude behind.

* * *

The first few times, she had thought nothing of it. Well, that wasn't completely true. She'd definitely felt a pang in her chest, but she had dismissed it and had told herself that she was overthinking things.

But as the months passed, it was nearly impossible for her to ignore the signs. Lilith gritted her teeth and watched as Layla laughed merrily at something Jude was saying, his arms flailing around as he recounted his story.

Ever since their talk, the girl had kept her word and had distanced herself from him.

A part of her blamed Layla for all of this because, after all, _she_ was the one who had convinced her to do something about her feelings. But no matter how many times the redhead tried to convince herself that none of it was the blonde's fault, she couldn't help being colder towards the girl whom she'd once considered a friend.

Her hands curled into angry fists when Jude leaned in to tuck a stray strand of blonde hair behind the other girl's ear, and she growled under her breath when Layla blushed cutely. Unable to stand watching them for another second, Lilith stood up from her chair and stomped towards Edith's desk, slamming her hands down on the wooden surface.

"Er…Is there something I can help you with, dearie?" the receptionist asked.

"Yes, actually, my friend. I was wondering if I could switch desks. Preferably somewhere far, far away from Jude and Layla," she said, offering the other woman a large smile.

"Uh...I'm sorry, dearie. We don't have any free desks, and I don't think anyone would be willing to switch with you," Edith replied hesitantly.

Jude let out a loud laugh that echoed through the guild, and the two women turned to watch him and Layla. "What is wrong with them? Can't they see that we're all trying to work?" Lilith scowled, crossing her arms.

The receptionist gazed fondly at the pair, ignoring the redhead's question. "Aren't they just adorable? I heard that they became an official couple yesterday!" she said, clasping her hands together.

"I'm going to go make myself some coffee," Lilith huffed in response. She stormed away, walking towards the kitchen and purposely pushing the couple apart under the pretense of grabbing a mug from the cabinet.

* * *

She was clutching her mug so tightly that she was afraid that it might shatter. Her eyes were narrowed into angry slits, though she tried to remain as calm as she could.

Layla seemed oblivious to the redhead's anger as she continued to ramble on and on. "-and then he kissed me! It was so romantic, Lilith. I mean, I always knew he was attractive, but I'd never thought of Jude in that way before. It was like all these feelings that had been buried deep inside me were suddenly freed and I just knew that I was in love with him!" the blonde gushed.

Lilith rolled her eyes, looking longingly towards her desk. "Right," she said simply.

The girl's face fell and her smile dropped as she stared at her friend. "You aren't still in love with him, are you?" she asked.

The redhead blood boiled, but she forced a strained smile on her face and laughed as though she'd just been told a funny joke. "Of course not, Layla! I'm…really happy for you and Jude," she said, spitting out the last bit.

In all honesty, she was very happy for them. All she wanted was for Jude to be happy.

But why couldn't he be happy with her?

* * *

Marching up to the guild, Lilith glared at the fallen "K" on the sign. She reminded herself to talk to Edith so that they could get it fixed.

The light murmuring in the guild fell completely silent when she pushed through the doors, and she immediately turned suspicious. She could feel everyone's eyes on her as she walked up to Edith's desk, laughing awkwardly and looking around her fellow guildmates.

"Did someone die or something?" she joked, glancing at the receptionist.

For once, Edith said nothing and simply handed her a white envelope addressed to her. The words were written in Jude's unmistakeable handwriting.

Her hands shook as she tore it open, and her eyes filled with angry tears. It read:

 _ **Dear Lilith,**_

 _ **I know that we haven't been the best of friends for the past month, but I knew that I would never forgive myself if I didn't say goodbye to you.**_

 _ **Layla and I have decided to leave the guild to start our own business. Our train is leaving very early, so, though it pains us very much, we can't say goodbye to you in person.**_

 _ **You've been a big part of both our lives for the past few years, Lilith, and I'm so sorry that our friendship ended the way it did. Although I sometimes wonder if we could become best friends again.**_

 _ **Thank you so much for supporting the both of us, and we'd like you to know that you are always welcome to visit us.**_

 _ **I'll keep in touch,**_

 _ **Jude**_

She let out a frustrated roar and collapsed on the ground, tearing the letter into tiny pieces. Edith rushed over to her and hugged her, trying her best to comfort the girl as she sobbed loudly.

Lilith's heart ached, and she decided that she hated Layla with a burning passion.

But she also knew that she now despised Jude even more than the blonde, and she'd do anything to make him as miserable as she felt at the moment.


End file.
